Beloved Superior burger joint gets Jan. 31 TV slot

Patrons enter the Anchor Bar and Grill in Superior on the day the Food Network was filming at the establishment. The North End hangout known for delicious hamburgers will have a segment on the Jan. 31 airing of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" on the Food Network. (Jed Carlson / jcarlson@superiortelegram.com)

Superior's Anchor Bar and Grill lands a starring role this month in a segment of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives."

Anchor co-owner Adam Anderson said the show is scheduled to air at 8 p.m. Jan. 31. The network was alerted to the tasty local fare in Superior by letters from fans and comments from people who stopped to watch the "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" crew film at the Duluth Grill.

"I think it's just neat," Anderson said of the local support. "It shows we have a unique place."

Anderson's father, Tom, bought the Anchor Bar in 1977. A few years later, he added food to the menu. Today, the establishment is more restaurant than bar, with 60 percent of sales coming from its homemade burgers and fries.

Cooks at the Anchor go through more than 120 pounds of beef a day, freshly ground by Superior Meats. They get about 200 fresh buns a day from the Twig Bakery, and top meals off with fries cut fresh to order.

A camera crew descended on the Tower Avenue eatery on July 1 for a 12-hour shoot.

"They went through the whole menu," Anderson said, from the cashew burger and olive burger to the signature Anchor Burger.

Many patrons were surprised with free burgers so the on-air grill work didn't go to waste.

"This is the best hamburger and French fry deal in the entire United States that I'm aware of," said Alan Gonia as he bit into a mushroom-and-Swiss burger.

A meal for two -- burgers, fries and drinks -- costs less than $10 at the Anchor.

"I come here all the time because I love the burgers," said Cindy Parsons of Duluth. "It's a great deal."

Guy Fieri didn't attend the July 1 shoot. Anderson was told by network representatives the show on the Anchor will be a viewer's choice segment, so Fieri wasn't part of the filming.